Butter, margarine and olive oil: which is more fattening?

Butter vs Olive oil

The consumption of butter, margarine and olive oil is usually looked at with a magnifying glass, but the OCU defends that what should be paid attention to is its composition and benefits. Before removing a food from the diet, why not get to know it a little more?

According to the OCU, butter contains between 15% and 20% water and between 80% and 85% fat. However, there are light varieties that reduce saturated fat by up to 30%, have little lactose and are rich in fat-soluble vitamins.

Olive oil, Margarine

For its part, margarine is produced based on vegetable oils, so it contains a third of fats than traditional butter. It is a source of vitamins A and E, minerals, fiber and phytosterols, although they continue to be highly processed foods with all kinds of additives. The OCU emphasizes that butter fat is as fattening as margarine, so if the two products have the same percentage of fat, they are equally fattening.

Is olive oil fattening?

In any case, the OCU recommends prioritizing the consumption of olive oil over any other fat because of its richness in essential fatty acids, but also because it helps to regulate the level of bad cholesterol, contains antioxidants and does not contain additives.

However, none of these foods should be completely withdrawn from the diet, according to the OCU. It is only necessary to limit its consumption in quantity and frequency and opt for light varieties, without salt or enriched with plant sterols in case of obesity, hypertension problems and cardiovascular diseases.

For the OCU, a balanced consumption of butter or margarine consists of a maximum of 10 grams occasionally and if it can be spread on whole wheat bread.

Ethnic differences

A randomized crossover pilot study by researchers at Northumbria University investigated the impact of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) versus butter on the cardiovascular health of healthy adults of European and Chinese descent. The study’s objective was to analyze the cardiovascular response of different ethnic groups to these dietary fats.

The two-week methodology included measuring 24-hour ambulatory systolic and diastolic blood pressure (PAS and PAD) and the lipid profile, including total and LDL cholesterol.

The results showed that EVOO consumption was associated with significant reductions in daytime PAS (-5.5 mmHg) and nighttime PAD (-3.7 mmHg) in all participants. In contrast, butter consumption increased total cholesterol (7.9 mg/dL) and LDL cholesterol (6.5 mg/dL). EVOO had no negative effects on these parameters.

The study concludes that EVOO is a healthy alternative to butter, with the potential to improve cardiovascular risk biomarkers in diverse populations. This justifies promoting its use in daily diets. This pilot study is a crucial step for future, larger-scale research.